Drug Abuse in the Global Village

Drug Abuse in Western Europe

                          ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS AND TYPES OF OFFENCES

AUSTRIA
A total of 4,829 drug related offences were reported in 1990, an 8 per cent increase from 1989 (4,474). The drug related offence reported in 1989 are distributed as follows: cannabis 60 per cent, heroin 18 per cent, opiates 7 per cent, cocaine 9 per cent, LSD 2.9 per cent, amphetamines 0.7 per cent, methaqualone 0.7 per cent (Austria 1991).

 

BELGIUM
A total of 10,568 drug related offences were reported for 1991 (9,292 males and 1,276 females), 678 were for drug trafficking. Most persons convicted were over 20 years of age (72 per cent) (U.N. 1991).

            In 1991, most offences related to cannabis (6,219 persons) followed by heroin related offences (1,924 persons), cocaine (796), LSD (133) and amphetamines (105) (Belgium 1991).

 

FRANCE
In 1990, of the 34,213 people charged with drug related offences, 84 per cent (or 24,856) were drug abusers, abusers/dealers (4,159) and drug trafficking offenders (5,198) (Table 1, Statistiques 1990).

Table 1  Drug related offences 1989 and 1990.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                
1989                1990    Change in %
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total number of arrests
         33,510             34,213             2.10

Total arrests for trafficking   4,418               5,198               17.66
Heroin                                      2,257               2,572               13.95
Cannabis                                  1,724               2,129               23.49
Cocaine                                    381                  414                  8.66
Other drugs                              56                    83                    48.21

Total arrests for abuse and
 abuse/dealing                        29,092             29,015             -0.26
Opium                                                 
Morphine                                 14                    28                    100
Heroin                                      1                      4                      300
Cocaine                                    9,525               8,061               -15.37
Cannabis                                  677                  513                  -24.22
LSD                                         18,544             20,094             8.36
Psychotropic substances           67                    72                    7.46
Volatile solvents                        235                  211                  -10.21
                                                28                    32                    14.29
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Usage et traffic de drogues en France. Statistiques 1990. Ministטre de l'Intיrieur.

            In 1990, most arrests for drug abuse and/or trafficking were related to cannabis (22,223), followed by cocaine (927), depressants (178), stimulants (109) and LSD (103). Only few cases involved opium (35) and morphine (5) (Statistiques 1990).

            Of the total number of persons charged with abuse and abuse/dealing in drugs, 89.45 per cent were male. The largest proportion (36.78 per cent) were between 21 and 25 years old, followed by the 16 to 20 age group (33.89 per cent) (Statistiques 1990).

            Drug related theft or attempted theft appears to be on the decrease (384 in 1990, a decrease of 26.3 per cent from 1989). Between 1985 and 1990 a decrease has been noted in theft or attempted thefts from pharmacies (38 per cent of the 1990 total), thefts from doctors (31 per cent), violent thefts against pharmacists or doctors (5 per cent), and thefts from other establishments (26 per cent). However, armed robberies and house breaks are reported to be on the increase (Statistiques 1990).

 

GERMANY
In 1990 a total of 58,423 persons were arrested for possession/abuse of illicit drugs and 34,279 for illicit drug trafficking. The greatest proportion of arrests for both possession/abuse and trafficking related to cannabis (33,025 and 17,401 respectively), followed by opiate type drugs (18,999 and 11,616 respectively), and cocaine type drugs (3,016 and 3,323 respectively). With respect to psychotropic substances, 3,383 persons were arrested for possession/abuse (1,762 stimulants, 1,391 depressants, 230 LSD) and 1,931 for trafficking (1,177 stimulants, 561 depressants and 201 LSD) (U.N. 1990).

            In 1992, 5,413 new abusers of opiates, psychotropic substances and other unspecified drugs came to the notice of the police, an increase of 16.3 per cent from 1991. The majority (4,091) are heroin abusers (an increase of 23 per cent from the previous year) followed by cocaine abuse (900), a decrease of 2.5 per cent for the same period, amphetamines (509), a decrease of 13 per cent, and LSD (67), a decrease of 38.5 per cent (Bundeskriminalamt, 1992). 

 

LUXEMBOURG
A total of 1,071 drug related offences were reported for 1992 (1,001 in 1989). Of these, 668 were committed by registered drug abusers (Luxembourg 1991).

 

NETHERLANDS
No information reported by 31st December 1993.

 

SAN MARINO
For 1991, 84 drug related offences were reported (87 in 1990). Sixty three related to abuse of cannabis (83 in 1990), 5 of heroin (2 in 1990), 9 of cocaine (2 in 1990) and 2 to synthetic narcotics. (U.N. 1990 1991)

 

SWITZERLAND
A total of 30,860 drug related offences were reported for 1992 (23,470 in 1991 and 18,880 in 1990). Eighty four per cent of these were committed by males in the 18 to 24 age group. Thirty nine per cent of these offences were by non nationals (Police 1990, 1991, 1992).

            Seventy four per cent of the offences related to consumption only (71 per cent in 1991 and 68 per cent in 1990), 6 per cent to trafficking (5 per cent in 1991, 4 per cent in 1990). The remainder related to both consumption and trafficking offences. Offences relating to consumption have increased by 37 per cent from 1991 and those for trafficking have increased by 47 per cent (Police 1990, 1991, 1992).

            The number of abusers convicted for the first time increased by 15 per cent since 1991, making up 38 per cent of the total consumption offences. The number of those previously convicted has increased by 50 per cent. Sixty one per cent of those convicted for consumption were drug addicts, a 65 per cent increase from 1991. Sixty nine per cent of consumption offences relate to heroin in 1992, followed by herbal cannabis (68 per cent) and 24 per cent for cocaine. For the first time, heroin consumption offences surpassed herbal cannabis offences (15,325) (see table 3) (Police 1991, 1992).

 

Table 3.  Offences related to consumption of illicit drugs, 1990 to 1992.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                    
1990                1991                1992
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cannabis type   13,224             14,701             16,395
Opium              38                    56                    19
Morphine                    
 heroin base      42                    83                    110
Heroin              7,493               11,079             15,923
Cocaine            4,097               5,081               5,598
Crack               18                    24                    19
Amphetamine   45                    48                    75
LSD                 216                  235                  229
Other
 Hallucinogens  48                    46                    323
Methadone       272                  356                  344
Other               167                  231                  203
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Statistique Suisse des Stupיfiants, 1990, 1991 and 1992, Ministטre Public de la Confederation, Bureau Central Suisse de la Police.
(Each offence appears as many times as there are types of drugs consumed)

            Drug trafficking offences committed by non Suisse nationals make up 83 per cent of the total, an increase of approximately 50 per cent from 1991. The number of Suisse nationals convicted for trafficking offence has increased by 21 per cent since 1991 (Police 1990, 1991, 1992).

            Thefts from pharmacies and doctors increased (691 in 1992 compared to 612 in 1991 and 254 in 1981) (Police 1990, 1991, 1992).